Connecting Tack of Jib to Roller Furling Drum

pkpdjh

New Member
I recently purchased a 1994 (Mod 2) C14.2 with a Harken (model 434?) roller furling on it. (I think this is a standard installation.)

After a few times on the water, whatever once connected the tack of jib down to the roller furling drum is now disconnected. So, pulling the furling line spins the drum, but the drum is not pulling in the foot of the sail. Judging by what remains, I think what was holding it together was some of these metal elliptical cotter rings:

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/98/cotter-ring-elliptical-package-of-10.cfm

If someone could please describe (or show a picture of) the proper method of making this connection, I would greatly appreciate it.

Here is the best picture of my situation I could take. (Sorry it was dark, the marina was closing and my phone's camera lens is shattered.)

jib_drum.jpg

Thanks in advance,
Dave ...
 
I have the same exact roller setup on my 1987 Capri. I will go look at my boat later today and get back to you.
 
Not real sure what the problem is on your furler, but it is important that before you attach the drum to the bracket on the front of the boat the sail must be completly rolled up, and the furling line is completly unrolled from the drum, then when you let the sail out, the line will roll up into the drum. Then by pulling the furling line out of the drum, the sail will roll up.
 
Greg, thanks. I know what you mean about the sail being rolled up first.

Everything had been working okay for my first few times on the water, but the last time I went to furl the sail, things got weird, Then, when I was putting the boat away, I saw bits of one of those rings on shore and bits still dangling on the boat. The bottom of the sail no longer rolled up (although the top still did.). So, I know there used to be something there, but I don't know exactly what it looked like.
 
I have taken a video of my roller furling drum, showing all angles of it. Send me your email address and I will email the video to you. Mine is [email protected] I tried to attach the video to this forum but could not, so will have to email it to you direct. Greg
 
Thanks to help from Greg above and Kent at CatalinaDirect.com, I am closer to solving my problem. There is a cable that goes through a small hole (red arrow in attached picture) in the base of the forestay and is then attached to the sail. That cable (or what was put in its place) has failed. (See green arrow in picture.)

So, now my questions are a little more specific:

How far does little cable goes up the sail? Does it just go through the grommet in the tack of the sail or does it connect up higher into the sail?

Is this a repair I can do myself or should I get a sail shop to handle it?

Thanks in advance,
Dave ...

roller_furling_issue.jpg
 
If you want to sail and not worry about being able to roll up the sail, I would have a sail loft handle it. I had a different problem with my headsail once, not being able to roll it up, and docking in 12 knots of wind was a real problem with the headsail rolled out.
 

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